


Porta Inferni

by hikari100



Series: Ghostly Revelations [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Thir13en Ghosts (2001)
Genre: Albus Dumbledore Bashing, Animalistic Behavior/Sub, Aphrodisiacs, Character Death, Cornelius Fudge Bashing, Creature Harry Potter, Darkness, Demonic Possession, Dolores Umbridge Bashing, Dom/sub, F/M, Ginny Weasley Bashing, Hermione Granger Bashing, Insanity, M/M, Molly Weasley Bashing, Possessive Behavior, Psychic Abilities, Ron Weasley Bashing, Tentacles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-23
Updated: 2019-08-30
Packaged: 2019-11-04 02:57:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 18,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17890217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hikari100/pseuds/hikari100
Summary: The final ghost has been caught, but with a terrible price.Stripped of his remaining family, Harry is left to wander; vulnerable to those who would eagerly prey on him. Thankfully, there wasoneperson left of the Kriticos family; Arthur Kriticos. However, this reunion isn't all fun and games; especially with the revelation of Cyrus' greatest treasure.Welcome to hell.





	1. The Towering Giant

**October  
Junkyard - Night**

Hell.  
That was one way to describe this.

It was rather late, the skies an ominous shade of dark-blue; the air thick and heavy as the temperatures continued to drop. Old, battered cars were being kept in piling towers; as if reaching for the stars. It was common knowledge among the locals, that this old junkyard (more like graveyard), had been abandoned for years. But, if it was really abandoned, then where did the police tape come from...?

A gentle breeze swept through, just as a light flickered into existence; shining behind a great tower. There was a distant rumble of a powerful engine, and the ground began to tremble as if something huge was coming forward. The light grew stronger as the faint rumble became a loud roar, just as a fairly large semi-truck came barreling through a tower; sending the remnants everywhere. There was a loud, sickening crunch of metal ripping metal apart; bits of glass shards raining down. However, the cold metal of spent shells were scattered among the broken glass; dozens upon dozens of shotgun shells. Well, that would explain the police tape.

Behind the semi-truck came a long line of utility vehicles; the caravan was heading straight for the center of the junkyard. And bringing up the rear, was a rather expensive looking black car. As they rounded a corner; the heart of the junkyard came into view, strangely enough, many flares had been set up, scattered throughout the old land. The flares, however, glowed with eerie silver flames. 

The caravan came to an abrupt halt, their tires screeching loudly. As the black car slowed down, the back passenger door slowly opened; and a man in his early fifties, stepped out. He was somewhat tall, but thin with thinning dark curls, a graying beard and mustache; and lightly tanned skin. Like always, he wore a dark suit; looking immaculate as he always did. He was leaning on a silver-headed dark cane. Cyrus Kriticos stood there, surveying the area; before his dark eyes spotted the odd flares. He sighed, looking annoyed as he shook his head. "Their crusade is wearing thin," He said dryly, as a small, slender figure stepped out from behind. 

A thick curtain of inky black curls fell to their shoulders, framing a soft, heart-shaped face.; their eyes, however, were hidden by a pair of pitch black sunglasses. A jagged lightning bolt was barely visible as they lifted their head. Unlike Cyrus, they wore a green turtleneck, dark jeans and shoes, and a thick black jacket. Twenty-year-old Hadrian Potter bit his lip, feeling a chill going down his spine; and it had nothing to do with the lower than normal temperatures. "I'll give them this," Grumbled a low raspy voice, still in the car. "They're persistent." Harry hid his smile, turning his head slightly as their final companion, got out. 

He was surprisingly tall, but thin with choppy, brownish-blond locks. Despite his pale green eyes had glazed over with pain; they were constantly darting about. Dennis Rafkin grimaced, reaching up to his aching temples; a sharp piercing whistle sent another wave of pain through him. He groaned, sagging against the car; looking decidedly ill. Cyrus snorted, pulling out a small silver case from his coat pocket; therefore withdrawing a rather expensive looking cigarette. He tapped it against the metal, speaking as he did so. "Never bet against human nature," He mused, looking up with bemused dark eyes. "You'll always lose."

Harry was silent as his uncle spoke, strangely focused as he gazed over at Dennis; obviously worried for the older male. These last several months hadn’t been so good for the man; as his mind seemed to be breaking under the strain. And there was something about this one; the Breaker, that was off. In fact, his instincts were going into overdrive; and Harry knew that if things went pear-shaped, his magic could lash out in dangerous ways. Dennis felt his legs giving out as it felt like an explosion was going off; and he would have collapsed, if not for Harry's quick reflexes. Thankfully, he was wearing gloves; thus negating Dennis' _gift_. Cyrus whirled around, just as Dennis jerked; nearly convulsing as Harry kept a firm grip on his shaking form. "Is it bad tonight?" He asked sharply.

His trembling was sporadic, and he gave a low, rasp of a cough; his face cold and clammy as he wheezed. "Bad is one way of describing it," Dennis wheezed, shivering as another surge of pain struck him. "But somehow..." Harry gently wiped away some of his damp hair, getting a faint smile from the embarrassed man. "... _insane_ seems more appropriate."

Oh dear.

**_That can't be good._ **

Dennis suddenly pulled away, much to Harry's confusion; only for his confusion to turn into concern as Dennis doubled over. His eyes were clenched as he coughed violently, dry heaving as bile rose up. Coughing, he wiped at his mouth; before sagging against the car once more. "It's in my professional opinion that we get the hell out of here," His green eyes slowly opened and he gave Cyrus a weak glare. 

"Now."

Cyrus raised an eyebrow. "Duly noted," He muttered and gestured for an approaching worker. "Clean this place up and locate our guests," He snapped as the worker nodded. As the worker turned to leave, another one approached them; but was holding a rather large photo, perhaps a clue to their target. Turning his head, Harry caught Dennis pulling out a small pill bottle; and he inwardly winced. Taking medicine when Cyrus was in view? That wasn't a very smart move, Dennis. So, it wasn't surprising when said man turned; his eyes darkening with rage. Moments later, he used his cane to knock the now opened bottle, out of Dennis' hand; sending a bunch of pink pills clattering to the wet ground. 

"You know the routine, Dennis," He hissed, glaring down at Dennis; ignoring how ill and weak the man looked. "I need you clear headed." Dennis whimpered, cringing as another wave of pain surged through him. "First things first," Cyrus continued, holding out the picture. "Where is _he_?" Struggling to sit up, Dennis reached one bare hand to the picture (which was of an aerial view of the junkyard) and the other to the wet ground below.

Uh-oh...

Almost immediately, Dennis jerked and convulsed; his body wracked by the violent spasms. A dark reddish-pink began to drip from his mouth, having bitten through his lips as he strained to keep his screams in. He finally collapsed with a pained gasp; his eyes glazed over as he coughed. Harry was by his side, rubbing his back as Dennis heaved. "Jesus Christ!" Dennis cried, looking up with glassy eyes. "I thought you said that he only killed twenty people!" He accused, giving another wet cough. "There's forty victims here!" Harry winced, his eyes traveling up; inwardly grimacing at the sight of the maniacal gleam in Cyrus' eyes. Guess Cyrus wasn't that much different from his mundane filth.

"Twenty when he was alive," Cyrus said gleefully. "He's added a few more since then." His dark eyes harden; turning cold as he gazed down with apathy. "Now, where is the Breaker, Dennis?" He asked sharply. Shivering, Dennis dropped the picture, before pointing at a spot deep in the junkyard.

Hm...

Harry reached down and helped Dennis to his feet, and the man gave him a weak smile. "Thanks, Harry," He murmured as Harry gave a slight smile. To be honest, Dennis knew that once his usefulness ended, he would be in for a world of pain. He was just happy to have at a friend in Harry; and unknown to Dennis, Harry had been growing suspicious of his uncle's activities. So, it wasn't just Dennis who was weary. Cyrus barked some commands into a microphone; sending every worker into a flurry. Dennis and Harry had to weave in an out of the workers, while trying to follow Cyrus as he continued to march through the madness. Everything seemed to be going well, the amplifiers were being set up as the containment cube was brought out; and even the chant was being set up.

But, something didn't feel right.  
It was going a little too well.

"How'd this guy get a name like the Breaker?" Dennis asked curiously, his head still throbbing. "Was he a truck driver or something?" Cyrus snorted as his young nephew turned inquiring eyes on him. "Simple folklore at work," He waved it off. "The locals exorcising its demons..." He trailed off as a frightening shriek of a howl ripped through the chilly air; it sounded like a mixture of human and some form of beast.

Um...

"...or maybe it's because he broke his victims into as many pieces as possible," Cyrus finished. Suddenly, and without warning, a shrill noise forced everyone to cease as the sound grew closer and louder. It was the terrifying sound of metal being ripped apart as glass shatters. A rather large and dense object was sent flying, before it crashed; landing before Dennis, Cyrus and a nervous Harry.

It was a crushed car.

Oh dear. 

Frowning deeply, Cyrus sighed; his eyes closing in annoyance. "I hate being rushed," He grumbled. Dennis swallowed thickly, looking at the remains with unease. "This one isn't like the others..." He whispered, feeling a chill going down his spine before he realized something. He glanced at the workers with unease, then looked back at Cyrus.

"What about them?" He asked softly.   
"Do they know what we're up against?"

Cyrus merely raised an eyebrow. "They're being well paid," He said simply. "And that's all they need to know." Harry stopped as Dennis turned white. "But this is suicide..." He squeaked a protest. "Then, I'll match their price..." Cyrus looked at Dennis with amusement. "...and yours." Dennis stiffened. "You don't have that kind of money," He said sharply. Cyrus smirked, which was not a promising one, either.

"After tonight, you'll be surprised."

Dennis turned sharply; that was something that was bugging him. He knew that Cyrus' finances weren’t that good; just that the man had enough to live comfortably, but that was it. So, how on earth had he been able to finance this whole expedition? Looking uneasy, as he bypassed Cyrus; his hand lashed out, meeting the man's shoulder. Flashes of a strange and downright creepy device, flashed in Dennis’ mind. There was a sharp whistle, and Cyrus knocked his hand away with his cane; looking annoyed. "Don't get too curious, Dennis," Cyrus warned him. Dennis withdrew his hand, still uneasy as he shied back. 

"Son of a bitch!"

Harry turned around, raising an eyebrow as four workers were dragging a pair towards them; a young man and woman. As they brought in closer, Harry realized that he recognized them; well, sort of. It was the same couple who had followed them throughout this expedition. Cyrus easily recognized them, looking rather amused. "How can you justify what you're doing, Cyrus?" The man snapped, one hand on his bag as the woman glared at the group; tightening her hold over an old looking book. "It's outright slavery!" Harry rolled his eyes, snorting softly. Somehow, he got the feeling that these two would get along swimmingly with that traitorous bitch, Granger.

"Ah, jeeze," Dennis mumbled, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Damon Quinteros and Kalina Oretzia," Cyrus greeted with a pleasant smile. "Why am I not surprised to see you here?" He tapped Damon's bag with his cane. "Still have those little quicksilver flares of yours?" He teased, before turning to Kalina. "And what about you, Kalina?" She glared at him, pulling the book back. "These aren't animals you're trapping!" She snapped, eyes flashing. "They're human beings!" Dennis snorted as he cleaned his Specter Glasses. "You mean _dead_ humans," He grumbled sourly. "Why don't you join Greenpeace or throw blood on old ladies' fur coats or something." Dennis knew he was being snarky, but he was tired and he wanted out.

"Bastard!" Kalina snapped, turning her rage on Cyrus. "Who are you to play God?!" Harry was silent, as he came up from behind; his dark fringe moving slightly, revealing the old, faded scar. Almost immediately, Damon's eyes focused on him; locking on the old scar, before widening recognition.

**_Really now?_ **

Harry inwardly sighed, a bit annoyed. Great, it would appear that Damon had a connection to the magical world. After all, why would a No-Maj recognize this stupid scar of his? Damn, he really needed to find a way to get rid of it; granted, it had faded over the last couple of years, but it was still _there_. "You'll never pull it off!" Damon snapped as a worker tugged on his coat. "Not without the right spells!" Harry grimaced, looking away; so much for the Statue. "That, and the thirteenth ghost!"

Wait -  
What?

Dennis whirled around with wide green eyes, watching as the workers dragged the couple off. "Thirteen?" Dennis repeated, stunned. Cyrus made a motion for the workers to get into position; and they were moving rather quickly. "What's this about thirteen?" Dennis demanded, following Cyrus; feeling a sense of panic as the man climbed one of the towers. "You contracted me for twelve, Cyrus!"

"The Breaker is twelve!"

Cyrus whirled around, staring down the man with dark amusement. "Yes, then one more," He said with glee. "I thought you were psychic." Dennis scowled, his pale green eyes were icy as he sulked. "That's not how it works," He grumbled. _And you know it_ , Dennis thought bitterly.

Cyrus rolled his eyes. "Bring in the bait," He instructed, sending a chill down Dennis' spine. "Bait?" He squeaked with wide eyes. "We never needed bait before!" He turned around, only to see a new truck driving through; a truck that was gushing out fresh, metallic blood. Dennis felt bile rise up, as he turned a sickly greenish-hue.

"A truck full of blood?"  
"You gotta be shitting me!"

**(...)**

Damon growled, huffing as he and his girlfriend were shoved down against a pile of crushed cars; their wrists being tied back with zip-ties. He couldn't believe that Cyrus was really going through with this. What really shocked him, was seeing _the_ Harry Potter with that bastard. Why the hell was the Boy-Who-Lived doing here?

"...power up..."

"Can't believe this is happening," Kalina growled, rolling her eyes at Cyrus' dramatics. As if hearing something, Damon looked up; and was surprised to see the savior walking towards them. "Great," Kalina scowled, huffing as the petite male approached them. Since he was with Cyrus, she assumed that he was no better; just as greedy and cruel. "Kalina," Damon hissed. "From what I understand, this guy is nothing like Cyrus." Kalina cocked her head, wondering what Damon was going on about now. The young man knelt down; and Kalina realized that the guy was young, _really_ young, probably late teens to early twenties at best. "Mr. Potter," Damon said with a tight smile, more like grimace.

Oh?

"Maybe you can get through to Cyrus," Damon suggested as the younger male tilted his head. "You know what he's doing is wrong," Damon continued. Suddenly, the younger male reached out and gave Damon's left ear a sharp and painful twist. Damon yelped, trying to pull back, only to wince as Harry's sharp nails dug into tender flesh. He managed to catch a look at Harry's face, and inwardly winced at the look of absolute fury. Damon had the feeling that he had just fucked up; big time. "Are you _trying_ to bring MACUSA down on our heads?!" Harry hissed, thus earning a flinch in return. "Harry?" Gritting his teeth, Harry stood up, before turning his head to see a rather pale looking Dennis standing there; his glassy eyes blinking owlishly. 

"Dennis?"

It was curious that he was by them; hadn't he been near Cyrus a few minutes ago? Damon straightened up, noting the weakness to the other man's trembling frame; and he looked to be extremely ill. Was Cyrus really that heartless to force a sick person to work for him? Shivering violently, Dennis made his way over and Damon knew that the man was in no shape for anything. 

Cyrus really was that heartless.

"What's going on?" Harry's voice was gentle, but firm; especially after he saw just how much Dennis' power was in control. "We have to go," Dennis said weakly, his eyes darting back from where he had come from. Harry froze when he caught the terrified cries of the workers as they were being ripped apart by an invisible force. _"Now,"_ Dennis pleaded, his eyes wild from fear.

There came another surge of pain, and Dennis' legs buckled; but not before Harry lunged forward, grabbing the man before he could hit the ground. It was alarming for both Damon and Kalina (as this was the first time), when Dennis suddenly convulsed; spasming as he whimpered. Harry grimaced as he started running his hand through Dennis' sweaty locks; whispering soothing words as he silently cursed.

This ghost, Horace Mahoney, was strong.  
 _Very_ strong.

Dennis had not reacted like this before, and Harry was worried about the man's health. The sheer amount of psychic residue had to be wrecking hell on him; and the chances of a seizure were high. "What's wrong with him?" Damon asked nervously, flinching as Dennis moaned; coughing as his body ached. Harry scowled, tightening his hold and from behind his sunglasses; his eyes flashed a poisonous yellow.

"What do you think?" He growled. 

A sudden chill swept over the little group, and Harry's eyes narrowed dangerously as Dennis convulsed; reddish-pink foam rose up as he bit through his lip, trying to keep in his cries. Huffing out a breath, Harry did not look up; somehow knowing who was there. "You've got a lot of nerve coming here," His voice was low.

"Don't you, Horace?"

...eh?! 

**(...)**

Who knew that the afterlife would be so boring?

Horace 'Breaker' Mahoney was bored out of his skull; forever bound to the area where he died. Life had become monotonous as time passed him by, that is, until this very night. He watched as a large group of mortals trespassed on his territory. There were numerous vehicles trashing his land; and what the hell were they doing with all of those machines?

When a rather expensive looking black car (and this was a good brand, too) pulled up, Horace felt his temper rise as the occupants get out. The first was a distinguished gentleman; causing Horace to bristle, next was a young boy, and the last one was a young man who looked a bit ill. There was a bit of a commotion, and when he saw a large cube being set up; he felt his bloodlust rise and his mind snapped.

_Not on my watch!_

**(...)**

After silently casting some wards; mostly Notice-Me-Not, a Parameter and a Health, Harry gritted his teeth and slowly got to his feet. His eyes, still hidden, locked onto a rather tall looking man; and somehow, he knew that this was Horace Mahoney. The man was rather tall, definitely over six feet in height; but built like a bodybuilder. He had a rather long face with a chiseled chin, a somewhat large and smashed nose, pale skin, dirty blond hair and murky brown eyes; but one eye was stuck in a permanent squint. He even wore a faded worker's uniform.

**"As for you..."**

The man took a step back, surprised as the petite male whirled and turned on him. **"What the fuck were you thinking?!"** Harry snapped, his voice growing deeper, more guttral as a second voice overlapped his. As Potter seemed to be talking to no one, Damon was working on trying to get his bindings lose; but it was no use. Somehow, something lashed out; striking the zip ties, releasing the two from their bindings. "We need to go," Kalina hissed, grabbing Damon's hand. He hesitated, sending an uneasy look towards the down Dennis; but Kalina tugged on his arm again, forcing him to follow. Thus, leaving Harry and Dennis behind.

**"Tu oui ryja yho etay fryd oui'ja tuha?"** Harry snapped, his words slipping into a mixture of gibberish and hisses. **"Dennis is under** my **protection!"** The man blinked, raising an eyebrow as he looked from the fuming male to the blood shed that was behind him; before turning to Harry. _"You don't seem to care that I just killed half your team,"_ He said dryly. 

Harry snorted.

**"They knew exactly what they were getting themselves into when they agreed to work for Cyrus,"** Harry said flatly, giving the man a pointed look. Dark hisses whispered in Harry's mind, and his vision started to blur slightly. 

T-I-M-E T-O P-L-A-Y

His hand twitching, he took a step forward; reared back and sucker punched the stunned man. Horace staggered back, a surge of pain that he hadn't felt since he was alive; ripped through his jaw. Jeeze, the kid may look small, but he sure packed a damn punch. Soft chants suddenly ripped through the air, just as Harry took a step back; shaking his sore hand. The hisses were slowly fading as the man abruptly vanished. A tingling went down Harry's spine as the temperature began to drop, and he shook his head; as if to clear away the fog.

Dennis!

Harry whirled around, waving his hand; thus canceling the wards, before kneeling down as Dennis began to stir. "Wha happened...?" He asked, slurring his voice as tired green eyes fluttered. Sighing, Harry helped him into a sitting position; ignoring the screams that surrounded them. "You pretty much had a seizure thanks to the psychic backlash," Harry answered, quietly.

Oh.

Exhaustion struck Dennis then and there, and as he looked around with bleary eyes; the screams abruptly cut off. Realizing that something was wrong, Harry helped Dennis to his feet; and the two were off, searching for any survivors.

The duo bypassed the bloody remains of the workers; blood and organs were splashed against the cars, leaving a deadly trail of death. After awhile, they heard Kalina's anguished voice crying out; beginning for help. Rounding a corner, Harry's attention was immediately drawn to Kalina; who was holding onto Damon.

Uh-oh...

Damon's throat had been crudely slashed; blood gushing from the fatal wound. His glassy eyes were fluttering as he was choking, struggling weakly to escape. "Help me!" Kalina screamed, her teary eyes locked onto the pair; as if begging them for something. Harry saw the feeble attempts of escape; and was immediately suspicious.

But wait.

**_Where's Cyrus?_ **

A chill went down Dennis' spine as he stumbled forward; watching as Damon died in Kalina's arms, before his attention was drawn to a car just to his right. He took a step forward, only for his eyes to widen in shock; turning white at the sight. There, laying across the ruined car, was Cyrus Kriticos. A rather large glass shard was buried deep within his neck; dark blood was steadily pumping from the ugly gash.

"Cyrus..." Dennis whispered.  
"What have you done?"


	2. Family Found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A painful memory is recalled as Arthur Kriticos tries to move on from his wife's death. Unknown to him, the upcoming arrival has more news to reveal, then what he had originally assumed. Since when did Cyrus Kriticos have another brother?

_He sighed, leaning back in his chair; enjoying the pleasant weather. The skies were crystal clear, and the sun felt good. Hearing the soft laughter, he turned his head to see his beautiful wife sitting on the stairs; looking up at him with a warm smile. "They're really are something," She mused as she looked to the front yard; where their children were playing. Their teenage daughter was urging their son to toss the ball._

_Life couldn't be more sweeter._

_"Arthur!"  
"Arthur, wake up!"_

**(...)**  
**October**

Arthur Kriticos sat up in bed, breathing heavily; trembling as he was gripped by a cold, clammy sweat. Not for the first time, he had been dreaming of his beloved wife; and he felt his heart ache in memory. With a pained groan, he fell back on his empty bed; his hand twitching as if wanting to reach for something.

Just one more hour...

"Dad!"  
...oh... 

**(...)**

Eighteen-year-old Kathrine Kriticos was at the stove; doing her best to cook, while her little brother was sitting at the small, round table. Since her mother's death the previous year, life hadn't been so kind to her dad. After all of the bills had been paid, including the funeral; money had dropped to dangerous levels. They were forced to leave everything they knew behind by moving into a rather small and cramped three bedroom apartment. Realizing how dire their situation was, Kathy had been pleasantly surprised when her dad hired a live-in nanny; twenty-one-year-old Maggie Bess. Maggie was a friendly lady, and Bobby positively adored her; as he had never met someone with such dark skin before.

Kathy's brown hair was pulled back in a messy tail; and she had the tip of her tongue stuck out as she tried to focus on cooking. "Dad!" She called again, turning her head towards the hallway. "It's almost eight-thirty!" She continued. "You're gonna miss your first class at this rate!" She scolded, before smiling as she heard him move. "And tell Maggie to get the hell out of the bathroom!"

She snickered when she heard his choked cough, followed by Maggie's voice yelling back. Bobby looked up in annoyance, slowly eating his cereal as he was looking at the paper with eagerness. That was something that continued to bug her; since their mother’s death, Bobby had developed an obsession with death. Maggie; a lovely woman with rich brown skin and ebony locks that was still tangled and cluttered with curlers, easily squeezed into the small kitchen. Her curls bounced as she easily weaved in an out, swiping the dirty counters with a thankfully, clean rag. She peered over Kathy's shoulder only to see that she had burned the eggs...again; and shook her head. 

Bobby peered at a particular article; his favorite recorder right next to him, before grinning as he switched it on. He pulled up the microphone and started reading the article out loud, his childish voice ringing with joy. _"Today on_ Death in Manhattan This Morning _, we notice a small leap in heart attacks in the city, cancer deaths are down, and we have a special treat for everyone."_ Bobby took a deep breath, taking a big gulp of his milk. _"A body was found this morning decapitulated,"_ He wrinkled his nose, trying to read the complicated word; for him anyway, when Maggie snorted. She had poured herself a cup of coffee, taking a seat at the table. "It's pronounced de-cap-it-tated," She told him, making a motion with her hand, as Kathy turned in annoyance. "Bobby," She said tiredly. "Find a healthier hobby."

Frowning, Bobby turned his recorder off before pouting. "Guys!" He whined. "I'm trying to broadcast!" He sulked, but cheered up as his dad came into the kitchen; clean shaven and looking tired, but he was smiling. "Good morning everyone," He said with a warm smile; adjusting his tie. "Dad," Bobby said cheerfully. "Did you know that they found a guy without his head in a dumpster behind Dunkin' Donuts!" Arthur hesitated, his smile falling slightly. "That's...nice..." He shook his head as Maggie ruffled Bobby’s hair with a snicker. Still a bit unnerved by his son’s comments, Arthur poured himself a cup of coffee, before peering at his daughter's handywork.

"Kathy," He said quietly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Why not let Maggie cook?" His eyes glanced towards the woman who was playfully teasing Bobby. "It's one of the reasons why I hired her," Arthur murmured. Kathy scoffed as she scraped the burnt eggs into the trash. "Dad, have you tried Maggie's cooking?" She hissed, before miming a gag. Maggie, however, saw this, her head snapping to attention. "Hey, I saw that!" She warned, pointing a finger at the bemused brunette. "Dad," Bobby called as he tugged at Maggie's hand. "Can you tell Kathy that keeping a record of deaths is healthy?" Arthur stopped, looking from Bobby to Kathy, hesitating. "'Cause she's being a real slut about it."

"Bobby!" Maggie scolded as Arthur choked on his coffee. "Don't call your sister a slut!" Kathy gave a weak smile before glaring at her brother. "Thank you, Maggie." However, she spoke too soon as Maggie continued with her words. "I prefer the term _bitch_ ," She teased. "Now the term _slut_ is used for girls with loose morals," Kathy turned and threw her dirty rag at Maggie, who snickered. "Face it girl," She gave Kathy a look over. "When was the last time you even got laid?"

Oi!

Shaking his head as he coughed; Arthur suddenly recalled something as he looked over at his son. "Hey, Edgar Allen Poe," He called as Bobby wilted, suddenly lowering his head. "Have you finished your homework?" Arthur was walking away, so he didn't see the fact that Bobby's scooter was in the way. "'Cause Mr. Petersen has been telling me - " Bobby squeaked, ducking his head as his dad stumbled over the scooter; his cup spilling its contents all over his suit.

Uh-oh...

"Jesus Christ," He growled, wincing as the hot coffee began to sink into his clothes."That's the third time I've tripped over that thing," He shot his son a dirty look. "Sorry dad," Bobby mumbled, lowering his head. "If we had a bigger place," Kathy said quietly. "Maybe we wouldn't have this problem." Arthur glared at her, as he tried to wipe the coffee off his clothes. Unfortunately, for him, that is, the coffee was already settling in his suit. "Well, we don't have a bigger place," He grumbled. "So, can we _please_ keep our stuff off the floor?" Bobby nodded weakly, looking down at his bowl with sad eyes.

**BZZT**

...what? 

Frowning, Arthur looked at his watch, before cursing softly. "Shit," He muttered under his breath as his kids and Maggie stiffened. "It must be the lawyer." Kathy stopped, paling as she turned panicky eyes on her father. "Lawyer?" She hissed. "What lawyer?" Kathy looked uneasy as her eyes traveled to the front door.

"I thought all of our credit was paid off."

Arthur shook his head. "No, it's not that," He murmured, before going up to the front door; peering through the tiny hole. Standing outside his apartment, was indeed a pristine looking man. "Mr. Kriticos?" The man asked politely. "Moss?" He saw the man perk up. "Yes, Ben Moss." Sighing with relief, Arthur opened the door and was greeted to the sight of not one person, but two.

The pristine gentleman was definitely Mr. Ben Moss; a tall man with slick dark blond hair, sharp features and hard brown eyes. He wore a rather expensive looking black business suit, and was holding a black suitcase. His companion, on the other hand, bore a similar resemblance to Cyrus Kriticos; but Arthur knew that he had never met the kid. Standing just off to the side, which was why Arthur hadn't seen him, was a young man; roughly late teens. He was small and somewhat thin (and Arthur felt his parental instincts rise up), but with wild dark curls and fair skin. His eyes, however, was protected by a pair of thick, black sunglasses. The kid wore a dark green turtleneck, plain dark jeans, a thin jacket and scruffy dark shoes. As he came into view, he saw the faint remains of a lightning bolt.

Mr. Moss looked embarrassed as the teen stepped up. "Yes, well, Mr. Kriticos," His voice sounded sheepish as Arthur gave the kid a strange look. "It appears that your uncle, Cyrus," Arthur turned sharply as the kid looked away. "Had a younger half brother that he was unaware of." Mr. Moss chewed his lip, wondering if he should go on, but decided to hell with it.

"Mr. Potter here is your younger cousin."

Wait...  
...what?


	3. The Willing Gift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur Kriticos, after months of pain and grief, gets a rather pleasant surprise. He has a young cousin; _very_ young, and that his now late uncle, Cyrus, left him and his kids a new home. This was too good to be true.
> 
> What's the catch?

"C-cousin?"

Arthur was stunned by the sudden admission, taking a step back in shock. Ben, while keeping a pleasant expression, was inwardly nervous. As cruel as he could be at times (he _was_ a lawyer, after all), there was something that would always raise his hackles; abuse. His office would see a great deal of cases centering around abuse, but the worst of the cases would usually involve a child. His brown eyes darted from Arthur to the silent Hadrian Potter, and back again. When Cyrus passed, all of the man's paperwork was given to him; including the up-to-date work on his newly discovered nephew, this also included a copy of medical records. Those records though, well, let’s just say that Ben became fond of the grape that day. 

Looking the dazed man over, noting the dark coffee stain; Ben took pity. "Is this a bad time?" Arthur stopped, looking embarrassed as his cheeks turned red. "Ah," He rubbed his chin in embarrassment. "I'm sorry," He mumbled. "Let me go and get changed." Arthur stepped back, allowing the two entry as he hurried back into his room and change. Hadrian was looking around the small apartment with curiosity, tilting his head as he heard the commotion coming from the kitchen. Before Ben could stop him, Hadrian had wandered into the kitchen; surprising the bickering trio. Embarrassed, Ben followed; looking sheepish as a young boy, teenage girl and a woman slightly older than the girl, all turn to stare at them.

"Who are you?" The brunette demanded hotly, glaring at them. "Down girl," The woman snipped back as Ben held up his hands in defense. "Sorry about that," Ben said sheepishly before the brunette was startled about something. The woman turned to the duo with a raised eyebrow. "I take it that one of you is the lawyer that Arthur was muttering about?" She asked dryly. "That would be me," Ben said flatly, giving Hadrian a pointed look. The brunette stopped, before turning to the little boy. "Bobby," She said sharply, once she noted the time. "You need to get dressed." The kid looked affronted. "But Kathy!" He whined, looking from his sister to Hadrian with curiosity. " _Now_ , buster," She snapped as he wilted in defeat. Bobby hastily got up and hurried to his room; so that he could get ready for school.

Hadrian was silent, and though he wore the sunglasses, Ben had the distinct feeling that he knew what was going through his head. He had read everything that had been collected on the young man, including the fate of his parents. To be honest, Arthur really was Hadrian's last chance of a family. After awhile, Arthur had changed into a clean brown suit, and Bobby was out of his pjs and in regular clothes; Ben got to work. He pulled out a fancy looking laptop from his suitcase, and set it up on the kitchen table. However, before he did anything else, Ben hastily pulled Arthur off to the side; much to his kids confusion...but not for Hadrian. 

Hadrian watched as the woman suddenly stiffened, before turning sharp eyes on him; and he tensed, realizing that she could hear the two talking. While the kids couldn't hear them, Arthur's daughter did see her father's darkening expression as he looked back towards them with a frown. Arthur sighed, before nodding to whatever the man had told him. Strangely enough, Ben looked rather relieved. 

Okay...

Ben sat back down, before looking up as the kids crowded him. "As you know Arthur," Ben began. "I represent the estate of your uncle Cyrus." Kathy raised an eyebrow, looking at her dad with a furrowed brow. "I didn't know that you had an uncle Cyrus," She mumbled as his cheeks turned a light pink; as if embarrassed about something. "I, uh," Arthur scratched his cheek. "I only met him a couple of times as a kid," He said with a sheepish look as he adjusted his jacket. "My parents weren't too keen on him." Arthur looked thoughtful, before wincing. "The rest of the family hated him, especially after he squandered the family fortune," He mused as Kathy perked up. "We have a family fortune?" Boy, did she sound eager. Hadrian inwardly frowned, wondering what it was about money that ensnared so many people.

Arthur raised an eyebrow, giving his daughter a stern look. "Had," He said firmly. "Cyrus squandered it." The lady grinned at Bobby, ruffling his hair. "Hear that Bobby?" She said lightly. "You got yourself a late uncle!" Bobby frowned, still confused. "What's he late for?" He asked curiously as Kathy snorted.

"His next birthday," She grumbled.

Bobby stopped, looking up with wide eyes. "You mean he's dead?!" Kathy sighed, shaking her head. "Now we get his attention," She muttered. Ben was a little disturbed on how a young child could focus so much on the grimness of death. Shaking his head, Ben focused once again on Arthur. "This message was recorded six months ago," He said quietly. "He asked that it be played for you in the event of his death..." Ben silently places a DVD into the laptop; and slowly, a recording began to play. The image was of Cyrus Kriticos, sitting in what looked like a study; revealing that he was a gentleman of distinguished age. His dark curls was a reminisce of Arthur's dark curls; even the kid who sat across from the table.

_"Arthur," Cyrus's voice was soft, with a hint of an accent. The study was full of ancient artifacts, grand furniture and paintings of far off places. "It's good to see you, so to speak." He sounded amused as he lit a rather expensive looking cigarette. "Sadly, if you're watching this, then it means I'm no longer among the living."_

_Cyrus smiled._

_"Happily, that makes you and your family, my sole beneficiaries."_

Arthur turned sharp eyes on Hadrian, as if surprised by something. Realizing where the man's thoughts were going, Hadrian gave a soft smile, waving his cousin’s concerns off. To be honest, he was quite happy to be kept out of Cyrus' shenanigans for once.

_"I've instructed my lawyer, Mr. Moss, to deliver what is needed." Cyrus gave a slight nod. "Give it to them, Ben."_

Ben pulled out a small, black box, opening it and revealing the strangest looking key. The key was rather large, a solid gold with a flat head; what looked like an eye, had been engraved into the metal. The teeth itself were fairly uneven; almost like a puzzle, one could say. Kathy frowned, taking it as she inspected it with confusion. "A key?" She said dryly. Arthur looked at it a bit more closely, frowning.

"A key to what?" He wondered.

_"A key to your new home."_  
...what?

Images started playing across the screen, and Kathy was immediately drawn to the flashing bedrooms. "Bathrooms," She hissed with a grin. "Everyone can get their own bathrooms!" Hadrian tilted his head, wondering if the apartment was literally that small; that someone would focus on such a thing. 

_"This house is one-of-a-kind," Cyrus continued as the camera refocused on him. "I've lead an interesting life," He calmly put his cigarette out, his eyes dark. "Seen many, many things," He mused as his eyes looked around the study; before focusing on the camera once more. "I just regret not getting to know you better." He smiled softly. "Perhaps we'll meet again..."_

_"...in another life…"_

The recording ended, and the screen turned dark as Ben closed the laptop. "When can we see it?" Kathy asked eagerly, as her father was still stunned by the sudden good news. "The house is yours, whenever you like." Kathy's eyes lit up and she turned a pleading gaze on her dad. "I'm planning on stopping by after work tonight," Ben continued. "If you'd like, your wife and kids - "

The woman held up a hand. "Woah now," She said loudly. "I am not the missus!" Ben was a bit taken back as Arthur swallowed thickly. "My wife, she, uh..." He stammered, looking nervous. "Our mom died, burnt to death in a fire," Bobby piped up as Kathy glared at him. "Bobby!" She hissed as he looked up with wide eyes. "What?" He whined. "It's true!"

O-okay...

Shaking his head, Arthur forced back his grief. "That's enough, Robert," He said sharply as his son wilted. "Sorry dad," He mumbled as his dad turned back to the lawyer. "Where is this place?" Arthur asked curiously. 

Ben smiled.

"Just a couple hours out."

.-.-.-.

Hadrian was quiet, as he listened to the conversation around him. When he found out that Cyrus had another nephew; Arthur, he had been weary about the find. He was pleasantly surprised to find a tired and grief stricken man, with a teenage daughter and a young son. From what Hadrian could tell, Arthur was a good man struggling to get by; having suffered a painful blow in the past. Although, he wasn't too fond of the man's daughter; she seemed rather shallow.

And don't get him started on Bobby.

**Time...to...play...  
...are you ready...?**


	4. A Home of Sorts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kalina does some thinking of her own, as Ben Moss leads the little family (plus one) to the home of the late Cyrus Kriticos. Funny, there wasn't supposed to be any installations from the power company...

_Kalina was frowning deeply as she entered Damon's office; having spent the last couple of days searching through her late lover's things (the funeral being a few days ago). It was inhumane with what Cyrus had planned for the now trapped souls. She stood up and looked over the bulletin board with a scowl._

_There, pinned to the board, were numerous articles and photographs. Pictures of graves being dug up, and articles on all sorts of deaths. Like a young and beautiful woman committing suicide in the tub, to a little boy being involved in an archery incident; with it all leading down to the news report on one Horace Mahoney._

_Seeing the books on the paranormal and psychology, Kalina shook her head. Damon had the talent and intelligence to make it far in life, but no, he had to delve into such dark things. And look where his obsession got him; an eternal rest six feet deep. She snorted softly, but then inwardly grimaced as she recalled his reaction to Cyrus' nephew; that weird kid that he addressed as 'Potter'. What pissed her off, was that there was absolutely_ no _information on the kid; hell, she couldn't tell if he was related to Cyrus or not!_

_Damnit._

_Scowling, she gave a bitter smile and began to gather her things. Kalina grabbed some quicksilver flares; stuffing them into her satchel including a few odds and ends that she believed would be useful. The last thing that she grabbed, was an old, homemade looking book. As she hurried out, Kalina looked back to the board with a furrowed brow; seeing the most recent article._

_An article focusing on the death of one Cyrus Kriticos..._

.-.-.-.  
 **Several Hours Later**

Ben was focused as he drove through the city; occasionally looking at his mirror as if to make sure that Arthur was keeping up in his own car. He would also occasionally look over at his passenger; Harry, with concern. The kid had been rather quiet today, and was gazing out the window as they drove to the mansion. 

"You must be pretty excited, huh Mr. Potter?"

...hm?

The kid looked up with a soft hm noise, peering at him through those dark sunglasses. For a moment, there was an awkward silence, but then he snorted softly and looked back to the window. This was a bit confusing, not to mention, you know worrying, for Ben. 

Curious.

You would expect for someone who practically had no one, would be overjoyed with the fact that he still had family left? But nope, Mr. Potter was silent as ever; and that's what was worrying the lawyer.

**(...)**

Kathy was overjoyed as her dad followed the lawyer to what was going to be their new home. Things were finally looking up for them, and it was only going to get better from here. Arthur chuckled when he saw her excitement. Sitting in the back were Maggie and Bobby, happily playing a game of hangman; Bobby's microphone laying on the floor.

"Excited?" Arthur teased lightly as Kathy grinned at him, her eyes bright. "Yeah," She agreed. "Mom would have freaked over this." Arthur smiled sadly, his eyes dimming as he looked away. "Dad," Kathy said slowly as they rounded a corner and started for a long and winding path. "I've been thinking..."

Oh?

She turned big brown eyes on him as she hesitated. "Maybe I shouldn't, you know, go back," She said weakly. "I can always skip a year," Kathy swallowed thickly as her eyes teared up. "You know so I can stay and help - " She was cut off as Arthur spoke in a hushed tone. "Kathy, no," He said softly.

"You remember how proud your mother was when you got that letter," He said with a tired, pained smile. "I just don't know how you guys are gonna do without me..." Kathy stopped, before her face flushed deeply as she looked embarrassed. "Kathy, honey," Arthur sighed. "Your brother and I can manage just fine." He gave a weak smile. "Anyway, it looks like things are looking up." Kathy frowned. "Yeah, but that's not the point." She shook her head. "It's just..." Again, Kathy hesitated. "That your smiles these days..." He raised an eyebrow. "Well, they're _fake_." At this painful admission, Arthur grimaced. 

Oh boy.  
Awkward moment here.

**(...)**

At long last, Ben pulled into the courtyard of the grand manor that Cyrus had built. As he switched the engine off, he peered out the window with a frown. That was strange, there was a power utility truck just off to the side; and a man in a uniform was peering into the house. He could hear the faint rumble of Arthur's car pulling up as it too, came to an abrupt halt.

From within the car, Bobby peered between his sister and dad, looking at the manor with wide eyes. "Cool!" He breathed, before urging Maggie to let him out for a better look. Kathy and Arthur climbed out; staring in amazement. And boy, was it a sight.

The manor was at least two stories tall and from what could be seen, a combination of metals and what appeared to be glass of all things. It was vastly different from what they were used to, but it was an architectural marvel. It was surrounded on all sides by grand pine trees; the moon shone softly against the clear midnight-blue skies.

"Words can't even begin to describe this," Kathy whispered in awe. Her dad had to silently agree, as not even he could find a single word for such an amazing design. That was when Arthur noticed Ben approaching the front door and was surprised to see that someone was already there.

Oh?

The stranger was a young man somewhere in his twenties, brownish blond hair and greenish eyes. His uniform was from a local service, a tool belt was thrown over his shoulder; and he was aiming his flashlight around, before whirling around as the unusual group walked up.

"About time someone showed up," The man grumbled, his bright flashlight going over them; earning some winces in return. "You the owners?" Ben scowled, shielding his eyes as he glared at the intruder. "Who are you?" He snapped back, never seeing the slight twitch to Harry's left hand; as the younger man focused. To Harry's surprise, he recognized the man.

Dennis.

**_What's he doing here?_ **

"The power guy," Dennis lied as he looked down at his clipboard. "Don't know if you're aware of this," His flashlight glared over them as he read off from his notes. "But this place keeps knocking the power out in the tri-quad area," He growled before turning sharp eyes on the adults. "So if you don't mind, I need to check the breakers inside."

Hm...

**_What are you up to, Dennis?_ **

Harry was rather curious about Dennis's arrival. To be honest, he hadn't seen the man since the capture of the twelfth ghost. So, out of curiosity's sake, why was someone like Dennis Rafkin doing up in the middle of nowhere at a place once owned by Cyrus? Harry could have sworn that Dennis _hated_ Cyrus.

So why...?

"Could you come back tomorrow?" Ben said peevishly, looking annoyed. "Well I could," Dennis raised an eyebrow. "However, my bosses won't be happy about it." Ben just glared at him. "That's not my problem," He snapped. "Is it?" Arthur held up a hand. "It's alright," He assured Dennis. "You can check them out."

Dennis was amused as he looked over to Arthur. "Thank you, Mr...?" Arthur gave a slight smile. "Arthur, Arthur Kriticos." Dennis stopped, before focusing on him a bit more closely. Strange, Arthur wondered about the man's reaction before shaking it off as Ben rolled his eyes. 

With that being said, Dennis looked back to the house. "Quite the place you have here," He mused. "Yeah," Kathy grinned as she hopped up the stairs. "We're moving in," She announced with a cheerful grin. "One step at a time," Arthur scolded, good naturedly as he stepped up to the door. 

Harry hung back as the little family eagerly stepped up to the main entrance. The front had an inner and outer door; eerily resembling an airlock chamber. Dennis watched as Arthur pulled out what strange looking key; noting that the key did indeed match up to the lone lock in the door. 

Arthur inserted the key into the lock, turning it. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, there was a soft hiss and a click, as the key slowly vanished into the lock. "Dad!" Bobby whined. "You broke it!" Arthur breathed deeply, doing his best to remain calm. "We probably activated a mechanism," He said weakly, a weak attempt to explain the impossibility. Dennis frowned, looking from the lock to the house; a bit suspicious. 

Unknown to anyone, there was something going on in the basement. There was a soft hum as a tiny pendulum began to swing gently; gears whirring to life. A few moments later, lights flickered on; illuminating each room in a soft, warm glow. Sure enough, the walls were made of incredibly thick glass; revealing the antique furniture in stark detail.

"What, you couldn't afford any walls?" Dennis grumbled, before his eyes zeroed in on the intricate white lettering that was visible on each wall. "Guess Uncle Cyrus wasn't too keen on privacy," Arthur mused as Kathy winced. "Hope the bathroom is in the basement," She mumbled as Harry's ears twitched; before he rolled his eyes.

Again with the bathrooms?

A sudden chill washed over Harry and he shuddered, rubbing at his arms as he looked around with nervousness. While he couldn't see a thing, he could sense that they were being watched by someone or some _thing_...unsavory, to say the least. Clearly they weren't alone up here. But, who or _what_ could be watching them like this?

And...

**_Why am I getting a bad feeling about this...?_ **


	5. Hidden Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The house may be a dream come true, but it's Dennis who discovers Cyrus' dark secret. Well, now he knew what Cyrus did with the freaking Black Zodiac. What were you up to, old man...?

The feeling of being watched remained with Harry, who silently followed everyone up the stairs and into the entryway. Behind him, the unusual door hissed as it clicked itself shut. Like everything else that was within sight, the entryway was full of fascinating treasures and rare items.

Curious about the intricate writing that was imprinted on the walls, Arthur stepped up to one such wall; placing a hand on the imprint, his eyes wide with recognition. "It's Latin," He breathed in awe. "Dad," Kathy slid up to him, looking around the treasures and display cases with great nervousness. "This stuff must be worth a fortune," She hissed as he inwardly winced. "I was just thinking that," He murmured.

"Just so you know," Maggie piped up as she gestured to the glass walls. "Miss Maggie doesn't do windows." The entryway eventually led out into what one would assume was the great hall. The great hall was an open space with a large glass-stained ceiling and eerily enough, a brass and copper styled floor. There was a seemingly large circle imprinted into the floor, with twelve strange symbols carved into it. There was only one door that was at the end of the hall, essentially; the great hall resembled a glass cube...or cage in this case.

Dennis was a bit pale as he looked around with unease, before his eyes locked onto the symbols; and now, he looked ill. "Oh Cyrus" He mumbled, a chill went down his spine at the sight of the symbols. "What did you _do_...?" 

"Alright," Arthur said with a slight smile, noting that everything was glass. "First rule," He locked eyes with his kids. "No throwing stones." Ben, despite being annoyed with Dennis' arrival, was amused by the family's antics. "It's marvelous, isn't it?" He smiled, pleased with their reactions. "A living work of art."

That's what you think, Dennis thought darkly before wincing as a sharp jolt of pain shot through him. Grimacing, he rubbed at his temples; which did nothing to alleviate the pain. If anything, it just made it worse! Fighting back the bile, Dennis went over to Ben.

"Look," He said softly, catching the lawyer's attention; who finally noticed how ill the man looked. "If you can tell me where the basement is, the sooner I can leave." Ben frowned, but reluctantly complied. "I believe it's down the hall, second door on the right." Dennis gave a curt nod and left, with Harry watching him all the while.

As Dennis left, Bobby finally noticed the unusual floor; surprised when the circle, which was made of a complicated design, started to spin gently. Almost mesmerized by the sight, he was about to take a step forward, when his dad abruptly grabbed him. "Don't touch anything," Arthur warned, giving his son a pointed look. "At least until we can get some property insurance." Shaking his head, Arthur put Bobby back down, but this time; made sure his son was with his daughter and Maggie. "Arthur," Ben called softly. "There are some papers that I need you to sign in the library." The man looked up, as if realizing something. "After that, I can give you guys a tour." Arthur nodded, before sending the three a dangerous, yet pointed look. Something told him that he didn't need to worry about Harry (who was still strangely quiet).

"I don't want you guys to move from this spot," He warned. "I mean it." Kathy rolled her eyes, but looked amused nonetheless. "Dad," She said with a goodnatured smile. "You're being paranoid and overprotective." Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Yeah...of all of this stuff," He said flatly. "I know you guys all too well," He pointed out with a dry tone. "Stay. Right. Here." All three smiled and nodded; hmm...

Watching them with suspicion, Arthur reluctantly followed Ben out and towards what he would assume was the library. Doing a quick check, the only thing Kathy saw was Harry; who was just lingering near a corner, not really paying attention to anything or anyone. Knowing that this was their only chance, Kathy looked to her brother and Maggie and urged them with a smile.

Soon, all three were gone.

Leaving Harry alone...

**(...)**

Dennis was nervous as he stood at the top of the stairs that no doubt lead to the basement. Taking a deep breath, he slowly descended; eyes darting about nervously. The basement was an assortment of narrowed halls, almost like a maze. Everything was cleaned and in pristine condition; not a single cobweb. It had been awhile since Cyrus died, so, shouldn't there at _least_ be a layer of dust everywhere...?

Everything was clean.

Perhaps a little too clean. 

Swallowing thickly, Dennis pulled out a familiar looking pair of glasses. Nervously, he put the spectral glasses on; looking around with unease. Unfortunately, with each step Dennis took; sent a high-pitched whistle ripping through his ears. And as he reached the bottom step, the poor man was suddenly overwhelmed by unimaginable agony. Moaning, Dennis fell to his knees; both hands reaching up to his now aching temples. It felt like a deadly storm was brewing in his mind. He could hear the faint shrieks of the damned, followed by the furious howl of a wild animal. This was brought on with the accompanying emotions of sheer malice, hunger and absolute insanity.

It was becoming too much for him, and Dennis collapsed; sagging against a wall. Shuddering violently, Dennis realized, with a silver of fear; that he could hear something metal hitting against glass. To his fear, he realized that the sound was coming directly from behind him...

Oh-no...

White as a sheet, Dennis looked up weakly, before scrambling back in terror; a screech leaving him as he moved back. To his disbelief, he was staring into the glassy eyes of one Royce Clayton. The angry spirit was slamming his bat against the glass; his ruined car still sparking behind him. Curiously enough, the eerie symbols that was printed along the cube, flashed a deadly red; preventing Clayton from escape.

At least it was something.  
Then, Royce was gone.

Wincing, Dennis weakly got to his feet. "Ah jeeze," He mumbled. Dennis brushed himself off, before tensing as the feeling of being watched, struck him. Turning his head, he stumbled back as Isabella Smith clawed at the glass; her milky eyes glaring hatefully at him, before she too, disappeared. With each twist and turn, Dennis met the furious looks of the Black Zodiac. Hells Bells, why the fuck was the Black Zodiac doing down here?!?! Terrified, Dennis bolted down the hall; panicking as the implications of Cyrus' action hit home. Then, a dangerous thought hit him. With the Black Zodiac trapped below, and the little family above; there was only trouble in the future, should the Zodiac get free. Dennis was quite pale as the dangers were becoming known, and what about Harry?

He needed to tell Arthur the truth...

Damn.


	6. The Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur Kriticos learns some interesting things about his late uncle. And well, a piece of his new cousin's past rears its ugly head. 
> 
> Much to Harry's annoyance.

Arthur followed Ben to the library; before something shiny caught his attention. To his curiosity, there, displaying proudly; were various ancient weapons. "Was Cyrus a hunter?" He questioned with a tilt of the head. "You could say that,"Ben mused as Arthur went over to one of the many book shelves. "I don't believe it," Arthur breathed as he looked over the titles with awe. "Chaucer, Dickens, Hemingway..." He shook his head. "They're all first editions, too." Then, a pair of unusual glasses caught his attention; resembling the type some science classes would offer the students. Only, these glasses sported an eerie blue light. Arthur was very careful as he picked out one book by Charles Dickens, before Ben let out a startled curse.

"Jesus Christ!"

Alarmed, Arthur put the book down and whirled around in shock. Ben had one hand over his heart, glaring weakly at the silent Harry. Huh, neither of the men had heard him come in; but there he was. Harry Potter stood in the doorway; watching them with a careful gaze before looking away as he took a seat in the far corner.

"Besides that little scare," Ben said, huffing as Arthur hid a smile when Harry snorted softly. "Your uncle was a collector of many rare things." Ben then reached into his case and withdrew several papers; some which were quite thick, and of course, a silver pen. Arthur was reluctant to look away from such a rare prize, but sat down at the desk; looking the paperwork over with weariness.

Good.

Taking the pen, Arthur hesitated for a moment. "Look," He said quietly. "I didn't want to bring this up in front of the kids," Ben stopped, tilting his head curiously. "This place...it's amazing," Arthur admitted. "And I _am_ grateful, it's just..." He sighed, feeling a faint bitterness. "I don't think we can afford such a place..."

"...and a fire took away _everything_..."

Ben gave a slight smile, waving off his concern. "It's alright Arthur," He assured the nervous man. "Your uncle was a genius with finances." Arthur was a bit taken back by that, wondering if perhaps Cyrus _had_ changed from his younger years. "He took care of everything." Ben's smile tightened slightly. "You and your family will never have to worry about money again."

**Nuh-uh. Naughty lawyer shouldn't lie...**

Arthur leaned back, his mind racing over the possibilities; before making his decision. As he picked up the pen once more and spotted the first line needed; Harry suddenly straightened up and looked directly at the lone door, tense and agitated.

"...Arthur...!"

...huh?

Ben and Arthur turned sharply, surprised to see Dennis lingering in the doorway. Arthur was concerned by the younger man's appearance. Dennis was white as a sheet, shivering as if gripped by a cold, clammy sweat; looking rather ill. "Arthur, we need to talk," Dennis wheezed, his heart racing as he struggled to regain his bearings. "What's wrong with the breakers...?" Arthur tried as Harry abruptly got to his feet; still watching everything with eerie silence. "There's nothing wrong with the breakers," Dennis got out, his heart was beginning to calm down a bit. "I'm not the power guy." Finally regaining his breathing, Dennis looked up weakly. 

"My name is Dennis Rafkin and -"

Dennis was rudely cut off by Ben; who didn't look too happy. "Shit," He hissed. " _You're_ Dennis Rafkin?" Arthur was confused as he looked from Dennis to the lawyer and back again. "Who's Dennis Rafkin?" He asked weakly. "My office warned me about this guy," Ben growled to Arthur, who still looked confused. 

"Arthur," Dennis said softly, before grimacing as his head throbbed angrily. "I used to hunt ghosts with your uncle." Ben snorted, before he was laughing; and such a cruel one at that, earning a dark look from Harry and a look of confusion. "Goats?" Dennis' eyes narrowed, and only Harry saw the red flash, before it was gone.

Curious.

"Ghosts, goddamnit!" Dennis snarled, startling the two men. "Souls trapped on earth with unfinished business!" Ben huffed, glaring at the man with extreme annoyance. "And you," Dennis shot Arthur a pleading look. "Need to get your family out of here!"

"This is one for the books," Ben grumbled. "Never met a real lunatic before." Well, that cinched it for Harry. "He's telling the truth." Ben and Arthur jerked back, before turning wide, surprised eyes on Harry; startled by the soft, accented voice. "Cyrus was obsessed in collecting a certain array of spirits," Harry murmured, his hidden gaze never leaving sight of Dennis; who looked strangely relieved. "Harry," Dennis felt like collapsing. "The entire Zodiac are locked up down in the basement." Harry froze, swallowing thickly as his sunglasses slowly slid off; clattering to the floor. His unnatural green eyes glowed softly as he stared at Dennis in disbelief. "A-all of them?" He squeaked as Dennis nodded.

Well, shit.

Suddenly, and without warning, Dennis' eyes turned glassy and his hands weakly went up to his temple as he whimpered. Arthur stood up in alarm, noting the sudden change and realized that something was terribly wrong. Another surge of pain swept over Dennis, and he fell to his knees with a pained gasp. However, before Arthur could reach the downed man, he was startled when Harry grabbed his hand; stopping him in his tracks.c"Harry?" He turned inquiring eyes on the petite male as Harry shook his head in warning. "For your safety and his, please do not touch him," Harry warned before a woman's voice rang out dryly. "Quite the predicament you're in, Mr. Potter." And to the absolute amazement of both Ben and Arthur, numerous people suddenly appeared. Oh, but Harry recognized them alright; and he was not happy.

The four heads of Hogwarts houses; Minerva McGonagall, Filius Flitwick, Pamona Sprout and of course, Severus Snape. The school nurse, Madame Pomfrey; Kingsley Shacklebolt, Nymphadora Tonks, Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody, Remus Lupin (why was Sirius Black here?!), Amelia Bones, quite a few former students who had been in his year, and to his disgust, all of the Weasley's and one Albus Dumbledore.

Great...  
Not.

"Tell me, cousin Arthur," Harry said quietly; choosing to ignore the intruders (for now, anyway). Hearing the familial title, Arthur realized that one of the newcomers must have the same name as him, focused on the younger male. "What do you know about psychics?"

Huh?

"Please, Harry," Hermione Granger sniffed as she looked at the boy; her brown eyes cold. "Everyone knows that psychics are simply something that exists in those silly stories." Harry's poisonous green eyes narrowed at her, but then he dismissed her as he looked up at the man; who hesitated. "Well," Arthur murmured. "My wife was more into the supernatural than I ever was," He smiled sadly. "Bobby takes after her in that regard." Arthur sighed, looking thoughtful. "I'm afraid that I don't know much save for telekinesis." Harry grimaced, switching his attention back to Dennis; and to his unease, Dennis was slipping into the early stages of a freaking seizure.

"Dennis is Precognitive," Harry began, catching everyone's attention; magical or otherwise. "The ability to see future events before they happen," Piped up the dreamy voice of a pretty white-blond haired girl with semi-cloudy blue eyes. "Retrocognitive," Harry continued, turning amused eyes at the pretty blond; who smiled in return. "The ability to see past events," The girl said softly as realization slowly dawned on Arthur. "Psychometry," The girl's blue eyes landed on Dennis, and they softened as she answered Harry once more. "The ability to gain information on any object through touch," She whispered. "And empathy," Harry said flatly, sending a chill down Arthur's spine. "S-So, if I tried to help..." Arthur trailed off, sounding weak and nervous. "Dennis would have no choice but to witness and feel the emotions that you felt and went through when you lost your wife," Harry said quietly as Arthur looked horrified. 

Finally, Dennis fell limp with a low moan. Concerned, Madam Pomfrey stepped forward, her eyes never leaving sight of Harry's. "With your permission, Mr. Potter," She began; as she had noticed his protectiveness over the other man. "I'd like to do a diagnosis on Mr..." Harry blinked, and gave a slight nod. Unknown to many, a psychic technically fell under the magical jurisdiction; primarily classified as a hedge-type. They had enough magic in them to see magical places, a few runes would work and they could definitely use House Elves; but that was about it.

Dennis could feel some mobility return, at least enough for him to be aware of an older woman in an old-fashioned dark uniform (like something out of the colonial days), kneeling down. His tired eyes searched out Harry's and was surprised to see him smiling. "Don't worry too much Dennis," He said lightly. "Madam Pomfrey here kept me out from the worst of those scrapes."

This Madam Pomfrey snorted softly, looking at the small male with fondness. "You simply couldn't stay out of trouble, could you young man?" She asked lightly as Harry grinned at her; his smile made him look much younger. Harry had cast a silent Notice-Me-Not; relieved when neither Ben nor Arthur noticed Pomfrey's wand coming out, or when the diagnostic scroll popped into existence. However, they _did_ see her eyes narrow dangerously as she hummed softly. "Interestingly enough, Mr. Rafkin," She mused. "You are related to the Greengrass and Lovegood's." Dennis slowly sat up, a bit surprised by the sudden admission; and the blond haired girl perked up. Harry blinked owlishly, looking from Dennis to the blond and back again. "That...that explains a lot, actually," He mumbled as the girl laughed.

Still looking through the scroll, Pomfrey noted that Dennis was a bit malnourished, some nerve damage, a cut to his tongue (probably bit it during the seizure), a slight off-beat of the heart and would be having a terrible migraine for awhile; but that was about it. It seemed that what magic Dennis had, had converted into psychic energy. Dennis shakily got to his feet, his hands a bit shaky; feeling a bit embarrassed that he had a seizure in front of so many people. Wait a minute, Dennis frowned as his eyes scanned the now crowded room with weariness; before realizing that someone who should be there, but wasn't.

"Where's the suit?" He asked, nervously.

Ben Moss was nowhere to be seen.

.-.-.-.

Ben Moss was scowling as he stormed off, heading towards the basement. He would prove to Arthur that Rafkin was nothing more than a lunatic that needed to be locked up. He had honestly believed that Harry was a good kid, but it looked like Rafkin brainwashed him. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, he pulled a small pen light from his pocket; and flicked it on. The small light illuminated softly, and his eyes narrowed slightly; before smiling cruelly as he withdrew his own spectral glasses, putting them on. Straightening up, Ben silently patted himself on the back; pleased that Cyrus' plan was coming together. Now...where was the bag of goods that he was promised...?

Smirking, he calmly strode down the maze-like hallway, before bypassing a cube-like cage; noting the lone occupant. Curiously enough, it was a teenage boy wearing what looked like a sports jacket from the fifties; half his face was shredded. The boy saw him, his milky eyes narrowing as Ben bypassed him. "Hey Babe Ruth," Ben sneered. "You can stop staring." The boy frowned, before disappearing.

The next cage held a boy about seven dressed in an old cowboy costume, holding a bloodied tomahawk. There was a visible steel-tipped arrow embedded in his forehead; blood dripping down his forehead. "Learn to duck next time," Ben grumbled as the kid vanished. 

The hall came to an abrupt end, but Ben knew what to do. He knelt down to the innocent looking wall; his fingers brushing against a hidden switch at the base. Ben smiled as there was a soft click, and the wall slid apart; revealing that the wall, was in fact, a door. The room behind the hidden door, was a massive machine of the most complicated design; like something out of a steampunk fantasy. His eyes looked around the room, before zeroing in on, what was no doubt the operative mechanic that controlled said machine. Ben smiled when he saw a large, sealed bag, sitting calmly on the mechanic's metal feet. He walked over, opening the bag and peered inside; his smile widening at the sight.

Thick wads of pure, cold hard cash.

"I gotta hand it to you, Cyrus," Ben cackled as he picked up the bag. "You definitely know how to keep your word." He tightened his hold on what he saw as his bonus, his eyes glittering with greed. However, as Ben picked the bag up, this unknowingly activated the machine. A white knob snapped up as the machine whirled to life; a low hum echoing from behind. 

**Come out, come out wherever you are...**

**Want to play a game...Harry?**


	7. The Sealing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Looks like Ben isn't the only one to make a bad decision here.

**Come out, come out wherever you are...**   
**Want to play a game...Harry?**

Back up in the crowded room, Harry snapped to attention, and for a moment, his eyes flickered an ominous black, before it was gone. To the eternal confusion of many, there was a soft hiss and a low hum slowly filling the air, and as Hermione turned her head; the walls literally began to _shift_ before her very eyes.

What in Merlin's name - ?!

.-.-.-.

Ben grinned to himself, his eyes dark with greed. The lawyer hummed as he sealed the briefcase, too caught up in his dreams, to even notice as the machine behind him flared with life. Gears groaned as they began to spin wildly, the steady hum of the warming machine grew louder with each passing moment. Pleased with things, Ben packed the briefcase back up and calmly strode out with a soft laugh.

.-.-.-.

Metal panels were slowly filtering over the thick glass, walls were moving into different positions, even the faint sounds of something shifting in the distance, could be heard. Dennis swallowed thickly, feeling quite ill as he looked to Harry with nervous blue eyes. "We need to get out of here," He urged. "Now."

Harry gave the barest of nods, his pupils thinning slightly as he looked to his cousin. Arthur felt a chill going down his spine as he bit his lip. "I'll take your word for it," The older male mumbled, his voice weak. Arthur hurried out the study, with Dennis reluctantly following. However, before Harry could follow, he was rudely grabbed by Molly Weasley.

"And where do you think _you're_ going young man?" The woman said angrily, one hand on her hip; tightening her hold on Harry's left arm. His pupils, now thin silver _slits_ , narrowed dangerously as he glared at the infuriating woman. " _I'm_ going to help my cousin and friend," He hissed, 

"No, you're not," Molly snapped back. "You _will_ be coming with us and fulfilling that contract," She scolded loudly. Behind the group, Remus and Sirius both frowned as they exchanged dark looks. Contract? What contract? The two knew that James and Lily would never condone the usage of a marriage contract; always wanting their children to marry for love. Or in the case of a magical creature inheritance, having a true soul mate.

"Contract...?" Remus's voice was lower than normal, the deep, guttural voice caused certain people to flinch as several turned uneasy eyes to Remus Lupin. Unfortunately, the man's amber eyes had turned a liquid gold; his inner wolf now at the forefront. And Sirius Black...? Well, his gray eyes were dark and there was a dangerous gleam to them. 

Once the former Order members saw that dangerous glint, they cringed deeply as they inched away. It wasn't surprising, though. In his own way, Sirius had inherited the infamous Black Madness. "May I ask what contract you're talking about?" Sirius' voice was sickeningly sweet as he turned an icy glare on the grumpy woman. 

"A legal marriage contract," Molly growled, tightening her hold as Harry suddenly winced as he felt his left arm protest in silence from the increasingly rougher treatment. "Harry is to marry _my_ Ginny once he was of legal age." Remus and Sirius both frowned, their eyes narrowing dangerously. "This ungrateful brat," She hissed, tugging painfully on his arm. "has no choice unless he wants to spend his entire life in Azkaban." Her eyes glittered and she had an ugly smirk. "Then he forfeits his magic and fortune, and _my_ family will receive it instead."

WHAT?!

_"Kathy...! ...Bobby..."_

.-.-.-.

A soft hiss whispered about the now ominous air, and Ben hesitated only for a moment. The temperature was beginning to drop, and a chill went down his spine as his senses screamed at him to move. But, that was a silly thing as Ben shook his head. This was simply a house, granted an overly expensive one; but a house, nonetheless.

.-.-.-.

"Kathy...! ...Bobby...Maggie!"

Dennis was following Arthur back to where he had left his kids and the nanny, before realizing something. The man stopped in mid-stride, turning back to look in the direction that they had just come from with a frown. "Wasn't Harry right behind us?" He asked, sounding confused as Arthur glanced back at him curiously.

Wait -

Where _was_ Harry?

Arthur looked over to the younger male, who looked quite nervous as he stood there; still shaking a bit from his earlier seizure. "I'm sure he's fine," Arthur assured him as tired blue eyes met his gaze. "But I really need to find my kids," He said softly, his dark eyes reflecting his unease.

They finally reached the main hall, where Arthur had instructed them to remain only for him to let out a loud, annoyed groan. There was not a single person in sight, causing Arthur to scowl as he looked around with an angry, yet nervous gaze. "I told them to wait _right_ here," He said angrily as Dennis rolled his eyes. "They're kids," He said flatly. "What do you expect?" Arthur shot him a dirty look, never realizing that Dennis wasn't paying attention to him. Instead, Dennis was focusing on the floor, more importantly, he was focused on the gently spinning circle that sported some odd looking symbols. But to the frightened psychic, these symbols were all too familiar to him.

_Very_ familiar.

The Black Zodiac.

"Alright, fine," Arthur grumbled. "You check downstairs and I'll check up." Arthur hurried out of sight, before Dennis could so much as say a word. Brushing a strand of brownish blond hair from his face, Dennis frowned deeply as his blue eyes locked onto the stairwell that lead to the basement. No way in hell was he going back down there!

"Time for this psychic to beat it," He muttered.

"Dennis?"

He turned, only to see a tired and somewhat annoyed looking Harry approaching him. Behind the petite male, were two red headed twin males; just a bit older than Harry himself. The twins had the same reddish-orange hair, fair skin, heavily freckled face and mischievous blue eyes. The two were looking at Harry with great concern, their eyes going from Harry to Dennis, and back again; biting their lips as they exchanged uneasy looks. Dennis was startled by the sight of Harry's eyes. A bright, glowing green against an endless sea of darkness, molten silver slits glaring out; those eyes didn't even look human. "H-Harry?" He stammered, having taken a step back in disbelief as the younger male sighed heavily.

"It's a long story," Harry muttered, his canines sharper than they should be. "Harry," One twin said quietly, there was a faint scar marring his chin. "We're so sorry for what our mother did," He pleaded as those eerie eyes focused on him. "Did you know?" Harry's voice was quiet as Dennis tilted his head; the faint sense of danger tugged at his mind. The twins exchanged looks, one brow furrowing slightly as Harry frowned. "Did you or any of your siblings know about that farce of a contract?" Harry's voice was dropping into an icy undertone, his 's' dripping into a silky hiss. 

"No," The first redhead said quietly. "But Harry," The second one piped up. "Dad's been compromised." Harry snapped to attention, turning wide eyes at the twins; stunned by the sudden admission. "Mom's got him permanently dosed on a ton of controlling potions," The second twin said darkly, his blue eyes cold as his lips curled. "Not even a purge from Gringotts can free him," The first murmured sadly as Harry cursed softly.

Damn.

Wait...

Dennis suddenly whirled around, his eyes widen in shocked horror as thick glass panels and metal, suddenly slam down on the front door; effectively sealing them inside. "Shit, shit, shit!" Dennis swore, running over to the now glass wall; pounding frantically. Upstairs, however, all four heard the sudden cursing of Arthur; knowing that the man had most likely ran into what was now a glass wall.

**Times up, little one.**

**(...)**

Still wearing the glasses, Ben headed back for the stairs as he prepared to leave, bypassing a glass cube. He stopped, a bit surprised to see that the inside of the cube was coated in a thick layer of what looked like blood. A beautiful girl with soaked brownish-blond hair, devoid of all clothing, grayish tinged skin lined with numerous cuts, and pitch black eyes; stood there. Her soulless eyes narrowed as she realized he was looking at her; his greedy eyes looking her over as he smirked. "Nice tits," He mocked as she lunged for the glass; a large kitchen knife in one hand.

"Woah!" Ben yelped, jumping back as she suddenly vanished. The man shook his head, rubbing at his eyes. "I'm seeing things," He mumbled. "I need to cut back on the hours." Shaking his head once more, Ben turned away from the cube, and made a move towards the stairs. Unknown to him, or those above, a handle bearing a symbol; suddenly lifted itself as it snapped into position.

Another hiss.

His breathing coming out much faster, the small puffs of visible cold told Ben that it was getting dangerously cold down here. To his great unease, the girl he had mocked only moments before, was now approaching him; faint whispers brought about as her pitch black eyes bore seethingly into his eyes. "I, uh," Ben stammered, swallowing thickly as he took a step back in fear. "I was just joking, that's all," He offered weakly. "Just a little lawyer humor, you know?" The girl was silent as she lifted her knife; which was saturated with blood, and Ben felt his heart sink.

As he backed up, he unconsciously stepped over an opened threshold; but then...then the girl smiled at him as she lowered her knife. Ben was confused, but his confusion soon dispersed as the lights flickered and with a sharp hiss, something came slamming down with a sickening, wet squelch.

Ben stood there, as if paralyzed, his eyes staring blankly as the glasses tumbled from his face. The briefcase, which seemed to shake, now began to fall from his lifeless fingers; bits of leather and shredded remains of bills, cluttered uselessly to the ground. There was a tiny trickle of fresh blood dripping down his temples. Then, slowly but surely, the front half of Ben Moss slid to the ground; revealing bone, brain matter and tissue. There was a soft, wet splatter as his grisly remains just slumped into a lifeless pile. Dana Newman stared down at the pile of human meat for a moment, then she smiled; as if pleased.

**One down.**   
**Your move, my little one.**


	8. Descending...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things start to take a turn for the worst. Kathy, Bobby and Maggie decide to do some exploring of their own, leaving the safety of the main hall. They really, _really_ should have listened to Arthur. If they had, maybe they wouldn't have gotten separated...

**One down.**   
**Your move, my little one.**

The machine continued to spin, before a second latch snapped into place; a faint cackle whispering through the thickened air. This...this couldn't be good...

**(...)**

Kathy was looking around the hall with rapture, her eyes wide and mesmerizing as she saw more and more of the house that had been left to her family. They had broken from the main hall, where their dad had instructed them to wait; and made their way upstairs. 

"So, what do you think about your new cousin?" Maggie asked Kathy, one eye causally kept on Bobby; who bounced ahead with excitement. Kathy turned her head slightly. "I'm not sure about him," She murmured. "Dad never really spoke about his family," Kathy continued with a slight frown as her eyes narrowed slightly. "I mean, is this guy _even_ related to dad?" She looked up with frustration. "They don't even look alike!" Kathy protested feebly.

Maggie hummed, nodding her head slightly as she listened to her friend's rant. "Well, girl," She said lightly as she raised an eyebrow. "It sounds more like you're jealous of the guy." Kathy stopped, before turning her head sharply. "I"m not jealous of someone who looks like they're still in school!" She hissed as Maggie shook her head with a grin. "You can't fool me, girlfriend," She teased. Kathy scowled, crossing her arms as she sulked. She was so not jealous of some scrawny kid. She was just looking out for her dad, that was all.

With Bobby getting further ahead, Maggie hastily broke off and hurried after the little boy. Kathy huffed, and reluctantly began to follow. That is, until she caught sight of something that attracted her. Curious, she peered into the room and her eyes lit up with joy. "I'll be in here," She gushed, finding the bedroom fit for a princess.

"This is awesome!"

**(...)**

Bobby happily turned his microphone on as he cheerfully spoke. Hey, he had a show to do, and he needed to report on his new home! "We are now upstairs..." Bobby said slowly. "And there's more...glass," Boy, did he sound disappointed. Maggie looked ahead, noting some rooms of interest that had yet to be explored. Bobby switched his mic off, reattaching it to his little radio, before he was pulling out his folded up scooter from his bag. He looked up with excited eyes as he grinned widely. "Race you to the end of the hall!" He chirped as Maggie frowned.

"I don't think that you should be riding that in the hall - " Without warning, the woman cut herself off as she sprinted down the hall; much to Bobby's shock. "Hey!" He yelled, hopping onto his scooter as he ran after her. "You cheated!" The little boy accused as he struggled to keep up with her much longer stride. The two were nearing the end of the hall, bypassing several rooms. "That wasn't fair," Bobby whined as he finally caught up with her. "I didn't even get to say _start_." Maggie smirked as they entered what looked like a bedroom. "Gotta keep ya on your toes," She teased, before finally getting a good look at the room.

Sure enough, it was indeed a bedroom. The shelves were lined with all sorts of dark, macabre toys and gadgets. Even the bed had a dark tone to it, the frame resembling human bones and dark blankets with a skull/crossbone art. All in all, it looked like a bedroom for a little boy, a demented little boy, that is.

Maggie sat down on the bed, and surprisingly enough, the blankets were quite soft; almost like silk. Her eyes turned to the right, and was surprised to see a pair of thick framed, semi-clear glasses. Curious about them, she got up and put them on. "So," She said lightly as she turned to Bobby; who looked up at her in confusion. "How do I look?" Almost immediately, there was a soft blue glow flickering around the frames.

"You look like a dork," Bobby mocked with a grin. Maggie looked around, a chill going down her spine as she saw those strange white lettering among the walls, now glowing a soft white. Her eyes traveling downwards, her unease only grew as she saw blood red lettering pulsing in rhythm.

"No freaking way..."

.-.-.-.

_PAIN!_

Fred and George Weasley, who had been relieved to see that Harry appeared to be doing okay; as they had been worried since they heard the rumors about him showing up at Hogwarts with the Dark Lord. And unlike their younger siblings, the two had grown quite fond of the smaller boy; constantly concerned about his frail appearance. Oh, they suspected abuse but were unable to do much, 'cause lets face it; who would believe them?!

It had been curious to learn that Harry's new friend wasn't an ordinary Muggle. That the guy was related to little Luna and the Greengrass family, had been really shocking; though, Luna looked as if she had been expecting it. But at this moment, none of that mattered the twins; and for a good reason. Harry's eerie eyes seemed to widen, the pupils thinning into near non existence as his face turned decidedly pale. It was rather alarming when Harry fell to his knees with a pained cry, the younger male biting his lip as he clutched at his head. 

**_Too much~Too much~Too much...!_ **

Fred darted forward, and was able to grab Harry's arms before he could really hit the floor; struggling to keep the smaller boy stable. He felt his heart race as Harry convulsed in his arms, not unlike Dennis's reaction earlier. "What's happening?" George fretted as he hovered over his brother; blue eyes nervous. From where he stood, Dennis swallowed thickly, turning his head as he looked away; feeling somewhat guilty. Harry wasn't a psychic like him...was he? Or was this reaction due to something else...?

**(...)**

Upstairs, Maggie couldn't help but admire the glowing words as she looked around in awe. Bobby pouted as he realized that something cool was happening, and he wanted to see. "What?" He whined, reaching a hand up. "Lemme see!" Maggie rolled her eyes, but took the glasses off as the boy took them eagerly. 

Bobby put them on, before looking down at the glowing words with awe. "Cool!" He squealed. "Hope there's a pair in my room," Maggie mumbled as she absentmindedly looked away. Unfortunately, for Maggie that is, Bobby saw that she was distracted and took this moment to do some exploring of his own. He inched back towards his scooter, quietly picked it up and darted out of the rooms. Bobby kept his gaze firmly on the glowing words; eagerly following the bloody path. At the same time, Maggie turned her head only to stare in disbelief, before cursing softly. "Bobby!" She yelled, running out of the room.

"Get back here!"

.-.-.-.

Kathy plopped down on the luxury bed with a squeal, spreading her arms out as she sank into the silky purple sheets. Oh, she sighed with joy. This bed felt like a cloud and seeing the crystal and silver furniture felt like she was in absolute heaven. There were even jeweled bottles of fancy looking perfume sitting on some nearby shelves.

Then, something sparkling caught her attention. The girl sat up, tilting her head curiously before realization dawned on her. The bathroom! Yes, finally, she could get her own bathroom! Kathy's eyes lit up with joy and she grinned, getting up to check her brand new bathroom out.

**(...)**

Bobby had been following the winding path, never looking up as he got further and further down the hallways. Finally, after a few ominous minutes, the boy looked up only to swallow thickly as realization dawned on him. The walls seemed thicker around here, and he saw that there were no bedrooms nearby; instead he could see what looked like libraries and offices in the surrounding rooms.

Looks like he took a wrong turn somewhere behind him. "M-Maggie?" Bobby stammered, feeling his heart pound as he looked around nervously. "T-This isn't funny," He whimpered, his eyes prickling with growing tears. Then, he saw someone walking away, their shadowy silhouette having caught his attention.

"Kathy?" Bobby asked, confused by how his sister got ahead of him. Hadn't she been in one of the rooms behind him? He frowned as the figure slowly shuffled off, their arms strangely pinned to their side. "Come on, Kath!" Bobby called as he followed the figure, innocently believing that it was his sister. "Stop playing games!" Unknown to Bobby, the figure was not his sister, but someone that his dad would warn him to avoid _at all costs_. The unsavory figure was leading the poor boy away, deeper and deeper into his own personal hell.

.-.-.-.

Yes!

The bathroom was quite spacious, larger than the ones that had been in their old home; and so much better than the dinky one that they were forced to share. The bathroom had an old fashioned, but large, tub; a crystal sink, a vanity table full of jewel-like perfume bottles, and there was an even fancier looking shower off to the side. Pleased, she went up to the lone mirror; checking her weary, yet excited expression. There, on a nearby table, sat a pair of thick framed, semi-clear glasses. As Kathy leaned into the mirror, if one looked through the glasses; they would see a whole 'nother scene.

Through the glasses, thick, fresh human blood had been splashed against the walls, splattered across the ceiling, dripping down the sink and spread across the floor in a cooling pool. The words _I'm sorry_ had been scrawled out in blood. Behind Kathy, was the spirit of Dana Newman. Dana looked mournfully in the mirror, hating the sight of her grey-tinged skin, bloodless lips and empty black eyes. It had been foolish of her, to take her own life in such a brutal fashion; damning her soul to wander until the day she could move on. That is, if she could move on...

And Kathy never knew.

**(...)**

**Better hurry, little one.**   
**Otherwise, the Princess will have her own fun.**

Harry groaned as the pain began to recede, leaving him trembling in Fred's lap. He leaned in, breathing softly as the scent of peppermint, chocolate and the cackling of a newly made fire. It was a pleasant scent, and Harry found himself relaxing; Fred's soft voice soothing the unnatural pain away. Feeling the smaller male relaxing, Fred looked down with concerned eyes. "You doing okay there, Harry?" He asked softly, knowing that the usual jokes wouldn't suffice in this situation.

In return, Fred got a soft groan and the barest of nods. Still trying to regain his bearings, Harry's cloudy mind went back to the ominous words; sending a chill down his spine. The Princess...? Then that meant...Harry's eyes widen as his head snapped upwards; the silver slits strangely bright.

Oh shit.

Kathy!

As Harry looked up, Fred caught sight of Harry's now much sharper teeth. It was curious as to how his new features were starting to show up, realizing that Harry had been wearing a pretty powerful glamour. What in Merlin's name was happening here, to cause the glamour to fail so spectacularly? And why...why did it feel like there was something else here...?

Something dark...something evil...


	9. ...into Madness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are getting hot around here.

Something dark...something evil...

Harry pushed himself away from Fred, slowly getting to his feet, albeit swaying as he did so. He shook his head, as if to clear away the fog. "Harry?" George asked weakly, feeling his heart sink as the younger male was silent, his gaze focused intensely on the ceiling. Was there something going on in the second floor, that only he could sense?

"Kathy..." 

Before the three could ask him what he meant, Harry suddenly vanished. Fred fell back in shock; eyes wide and mouth hanging open in stunned disbelief, and George swallowed thickly at the usage of wandless magic. He looked nervously to Dennis, who was standing there, as if stunned by what had just happened. And for a moment, George wondered if the Statue had just been breached. Oh man, if Harry really did use magic, they were in serious trouble. 

.-.-.-.

Kathy sighed as she stepped back with a smile. Man, her dad really lucked out with this positively gorgeous home! Her head turned slightly to the tub, and she happily made her way over; pulling back the curtains. Hm, a chill seemed to sweep over her; but Kathy shook the unease off.

Unknown to Kathy, there, laying in the bloodied tub; was Dana Newman. Through the glasses, the tub was full of bloody water; blood dripping down the shower curtains. The spirit was watching Kathy carefully, her empty black eyes focusing with great intensity. Unfortunately, Kathy was completely oblivious to the spirit.

Kathy sat on the rim of the tub, and eagerly turned the faucet on. To her, the water was warm and clear, but through the glasses...the water was cold and an angry red. Kathy splashed the warm water against her face, sighing as the warmth soothed away her worries. And as she began to relax, the girl couldn't help but regret her earlier actions, regarding her new relative. "Maybe I was a bit too harsh?" She murmured softly. Kathy was about to reach down for the water once more, never once noticing Dana raising her wicked knife; eyes glittering like mad. Though, she was startled out of her thoughts as a small hand grabbed the collar of her jacket and yanked her back with surprising strength.

At the same time, her dad was in the doorway; his mouth dropped open as he stared in disbelief. "Harry?" The man had been surprised when a barely visible blur suddenly raced passed him and straight towards a room. He had arrived just as Harry yanked his unsuspecting daughter away from the tub; sending the two sprawling back. Though, Harry didn't seem to notice, as his eyes were glaring at the seemingly empty tub.

Wait a minute...

Arthur felt his heart sink as he slowly recalled the earlier conversation between Dennis and Harry; something about the Black Zodiac? The name alone was ominous news, and judging by the dark looks that Harry was giving the tub, that maybe, just maybe, one of the Zodiac was here...

Face red with embarrassment, and perhaps something else, Kathy's head turned slightly. Her wide brown eyes met glowing green-on-black eyes; bright silver slits thin. Harry's lips were curled slightly, revealing needle sharp teeth; as he glared at the empty tub. Vexed, Kathy staggered to her feet, zipping her jacket as she glared at Harry; who was just now sitting up. "What the hell were you doing?!" She yelled, her cheeks red with anger. Harry ignored her, his gaze was a bit too intense for her tastes. "Kathy," Her dad said slowly, getting her attention. Huffing, the girl sulked as she turned angrily to her father. "Where's your brother?" Kathy blinked, a bit confused as well as weary by the sudden urgency. "He's with Maggie," She answered.

" _Was_ with Maggie."

Eh?!

Arthur and Kathy turned, just in time to see Maggie hesitantly standing behind Arthur. She looked to be a bit tired, if not worried as she kept wringing her hands as she looked from Arthur to Kathy. It took Kathy a minute to register Maggie's words, but she soon grew pale as Arthur staggered back in shock; his dark eyes wide and full of fear.

"We were looking at one of the rooms," Maggie said weakly, her heart racing as she took in their decidedly pale complexions. "I looked away, but only for a moment!" She protested as Arthur raised a hand to his mouth in shock. "I'm sure he's around here somewhere!" The poor woman continued, her voice shaking slightly. Arthur fought back his fear, knowing that this was not the time. "You're supposed to be watching _him_!" He snapped as Maggie flinched, tears prickling in her eyes. "That's what I'm paying you for!" Her eyes watery, Maggie turned to the doorway; calling for Bobby. But alas, there was not a sound; save for the commotion coming from downstairs.

**(...)**

As the three ran out, Harry finally spoke.

"Dana."

Dana Newman slowly stood up, faint traces of red water dripped down her nude frame. "Was Dennis telling the truth?" Harry asked, his voice soft, yet a bit sharp. "Is the Black Zodiac really trapped underneath this house?" Dana snorted, crossing her arms as she turned empty eyes on the small male.

_"You already know the answers,"_ She snipped. _"Don't you?"_ Harry's eyes narrowed as he cursed softly. "Cyrus, you _eteud_ ," He growled, the last word having slipped out in Parseltongue. He continued to curse, before uttering a loud, tired sigh; rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I better make sure Arthur doesn't get himself killed," He grumbled as he headed for the door; before stopping himself as if realizing something.

"Oh," Harry said softly. "If you or any of the Zodiac happen to come across a bunch of redheads," Dana perked up; tilting her head curiously. "Should anything happen to the mother or the two youngest," Harry seemed to smile. "Well, you won't see me stopping you." With a soft laugh, and a shake of the head, Harry left Dana behind as he went to join the others.

Dana Newman stood there, quite perplexed by Harry's ominous words. There came another, more louder, crash from below; which was followed by some furious shouts and what sounded a great deal like...Latin? Humming softly, she vanished; hoping that someone else was free so that she could look into Harry's offer.

.-.-.-.

Remus' eyes were purely gold now, and did his hair look a bit more shaggier than normal? A silver of unease went through several Order members as a sickening thought came to them. Remus Lupin was a well known werewolf, thanks to the cruel actions of Severus Snape some years ago; and that Remus was always uneasy about his inner beast.

However, when Potter vanished, that unease seemed to dissipated into nothing. During those missing years, Remus had grown more confident and assured over his own self. What no one knew, save for one, was that Remus no longer needed the Wolfsbane Potion. In fact, Remus, with the help of Padfoot, finally gained control over his inner wolf; something that was quite a relief after all of these years. 

After the Dark Lord and his followers had been killed, it was through the work and actions of Madame Bone; and the memory from many students, that Sirius Black had been fully exonerated of his so-called crimes. And with his freedom, Sirius was desperate to get custody of his little godson; unfortunately...unfortunately, no one knew where the guy had gotten too.

Until tonight, that is.

"Despite his lack of trial," Amelia said sharply, brushing a reddish-blond strand from her face as her blue-green eyes were chips of ice. "Sirius Black was _never_ stripped of his title as godfather." Her now ex-Auror's, flinched, taking a step back as she glared at each and every single one; her icy eyes landing on the Headmaster with a murderous gaze.

"Albus Dumbledore _illegally_ kidnapped Harry Potter, placing him with people who Lily and James were against," Amelia's voice was growing sharper by the minute, the temperatures dropping as her own magic seethed. "Then, this bastard had the gall to not only drain the Potter fortune for himself," She hissed. "But illegally sold off Potter property, sold family heirlooms," Amelia continued; her reddish-blond strands darkening in color.

"And this so-called 'marriage' contract?" Remus, or better yet, Mooney, growled. "To ensure that all of his dealings were legal," She snarled. "Which by the way," Amelia then turned a dangerous gaze on certain people. "The goblins are taking back every single piece," She said with a sweet, yet cruel smile. "And yes, that includes the stolen money." Those who were aware of the goblins policy on thieves, looked to be quite ill as they inched away. 

Without warning, Sirius flicked his wrist; wand sliding down from a hidden sheath, and he murmured softly. **"Tutela contra omnes."** Thankfully, only Remus heard Sirius's soft mumbles of an old Black family spell. It was a spell of protection; it would protect against almost anything, even two of the Unforgiveables itself. Curiously enough, a dark purplish-black, diamond-like energy flared to life; wrapping firmly around both Sirius and Remus. Surprisingly enough, it also flared around many of the confused onlookers; except for Albus Dumbledore and his more devout followers. 

Well, this was...unusual, to say the least.

At least, Sirius was aware who was on his pup's side. Somehow, he wasn't surprised that the protection spell avoided Dumbledore. Luckily, Sirius had cast the family spell just in time. As the diamond-like shield took shape, a thick beam of dark silver light struck Remus while a dark red shaft tried to hit Sirius. 

Everyone froze in complete shock, stunned beyond belief by the sudden onslaught of spells. Who in Merlin's name just tried to curse those two?! Thanks to the Black Protection Shield, both spells had been absorbed by the diamond-like energy. Within minutes, a single scroll popped into existence; hovering before an agitated Sirius. Sirius took the scroll, scanned it and his eyes flared with rage; his magic churning under his skin as he did his best to keep his anger at bay. He was so lost in his anger and growing blood lust, that it was Poppy, who took the scroll and read it over.

Suddenly, Poppy's eyes narrowed as she whirled around on the headmaster with a snarl. Before anyone could react, her wand was out and she tossed several silent spells in his direction. Almost immediately, the elderly man's hair turned a garish shade of pink as she hexed his robes a sickly mixture of lime green, mustard yellow and salmon pink.

What was on that scroll?

During the commotion, Amelia took the scroll and scanned it carefully; before gritting her teeth. "A poisonous silver spell," She said slowly, darkly as she looked up angrily. " _And_ a permanent Imperius?" Amelia's voice was practically dripping with acid. Realization began to dawn on several people as they turned wide eyes on the clearly annoyed headmaster. The former Slytherins were quite pale as they felt sick. If Black hadn't cast his own spell, then not only when Lupin be dead, but Black would have been no better than a mindless puppet. And judging by the furious looks and cursing of Madame Pomfrey, and the murderous words of Madame Bones; the caster in question was their former headmaster.

What the hell had they agreed to?!

.-.-.-.

Reaching the end of the hall, Arthur stopped as he turned to his daughter and Maggie with a haggard look. "I'll find him," He said firmly. "But I want you both to wait for us by the car." Kathy frowned as she and Maggie exchanged concerned looks. "But dad - !" Kathy protested as he held up a hand. "No buts," Arthur said firmly. "I want you guys out of here." He raised an eyebrow, silently noting that Harry had yet to catch up. "I'll be out as soon as I get Bobby." Kathy's brows furrowed slightly. "Dad, don't you think that you're overreacting?" She hissed as his eyes narrowed. "For once, Kathy," He drawled. "Don't argue with me."

Suddenly, a loud noise came from below; followed by some angry voices. Maggie and Kathy were confused, honestly believing that it was just them, the lawyer and Harry. It sounded like there was a good deal of people downstairs; and none of them sounded very happy. "Dad," Kathy sounded uneasy. "What is going on down there?"

"Don't mind them," Harry's soft voice broke through. Maggie turned her head, a bit taken back by his unusual eyes. Never mind the fact that he had fangs. Harry gave a thin smile, his eyes narrowing as he heard Molly's voice shouting; knowing that she was most likely yelling at Sirius. "Leave them to me," He said firmly, before looking to his cousin with grim eyes.

"You just focus on getting out of here."

Arthur nodded, still feeling a bit sick; but agreed with Harry's words. Sulking, Kathy reluctantly followed the two, with Maggie right behind her. Reaching the main level, Harry broke off, heading for the study as Arthur headed for the front door. 

There was a tiny problem, though.

A thick panel of glass had slammed down in front of the hallway that lead towards the main entrance. "What happened to the door?" Kathy asked nervously, her eyes darting about in a nervous fashion. "Son of a bitch - !" Arthur swore loudly as he slammed a fist against the glass panel. The lettering flashed a soft cream, but it was gone before anyone realized it. In a desperate move, Arthur picked up a nearby chair and brought it down on the panel, hoping that it would break the glass. But alas, the chair shattered upon contact; the force knocking the man back a bit. "What a night this is," He grumbled.

"It's sealed shut."

Kathy turned, and was surprised to see the power guy sitting on a couch that they hadn't noticed before. He had long since ditched the orange uniform, and instead wore a light blue shirt, dark jeans, a black hooded jacket and scruffy brown boots. He was rubbing at his temple, decidedly pale and clammy; watching them with tired blue eyes. "What do you mean that it's sealed shut?" Arthur demanded, once his mind registered Dennis' words. Dennis frowned, as if annoyed by something. "I mean it's **sealed** shut," He snapped back. "What part of that are you having trouble cracking?" He hissed. "There has to be another way out," Kathy said weakly.

Dennis shook his head. "I've looked," He muttered. Arthur frowned, sighing as his mind raced over the possible outcomes; his own temples aching. "Look," He said tiredly. "I don't know what's happening, nor do I know the hell you are," He sounded frustrated. "But my son is missing." Arthur turned a dark gaze on Dennis. "And until those questions are answered, you're not leaving my sight," He growled.

"Now, _get up_."

Dennis flinched at the furious voice, instinctively reacting as he slowly stood up. "Alright," He mumbled, still nervous by the sudden bout of anger. He didn't do well around a whole lot of people, he was already pushing his limits as it was. Maggie blinked, before realizing something as she looked around curiously.

"Did the lawyer split?"

**_"Kad dra vilg yfyo vnus sa!"_ **


End file.
